De Rada wrote detailed observations on the Chinese people and their way of life.

His works had mainly theological character, but he also studied natural sciences and wrote observations and criticisms of the contemporary social conditions.

"I'm writing observations - poetry," Mr. Hogan says.

The bishops were allowed to ask questions or write "observations" about the revised norms, but not propose amendments.

He delighted in wordplay and inventive imagery; he never stopped writing absurd narratives, and sharp observations of his surroundings.

Instead, Douglas was known for writing short, pithy opinions which relied on philosophical insights, observations about current politics, and literature, as much as more conventional "judicial" sources.

Describing himself as "kind of a poet," he said he wrote his thoughts and observations in a notebook to pass the time.

Even James allows that Brookner writes "beautiful, piercingly elegant observations," and for this and much more, she is well worth reading.

He read avidly on botany and often wrote observations on this topic into his journal.

Brookner can still do what she has always done best: write beautiful, piercingly elegant observations.